Beauty from Surrender (7 page)

I park the Sunset in the garage and find Mrs. Porcelli in the kitchen. "Mr. McLachlan, it's good to see you back. I trust your visit with your family went well?"

I wish I'd gone to Sydney for a casual visit, but that's not what sent me there. I went for entirely different reasons I didn't wish to discuss, so I lie. "Yes, everyone is well and I had a nice visit."

"Oh, that's good. I can get you some lunch if you're hungry."

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. I stopped at a little café a couple of hours ago."

As I'm walking out, Mrs. Porcelli calls my name. "Mr. McLachlan?"

I turn and see a look of uncertainty in my housekeeper's eyes—as if she's searching for the right words to say to me. "Yes?"

She's wringing her hands like she's nervous. My curiosity is piqued. "I didn't know if I should say anything, but I decided I thought you had the right to know."

I wait for her further explanation but she doesn't give me one. Whatever this is about, she isn't wanting to tell me. "What is it?"

"I was cleaning your bedroom and found something of Laurelyn's under the bed. I placed them on your nightstand because I didn't know what to do with them. Throwing them in the trash didn't feel right."

Ah! A pair of Laurelyn's undies must've fallen under the bed during one of our naughties. I'm sure that's what has this little gray-haired lady blushing crimson.

"Thank you for letting me know."

I smile as I walk the hall toward my bedroom. Those will be a nice little memento to have. Hmm…I wonder which pair it'll be? I find myself hoping that it's the white lace ones. I took those off her the day we made love the first time—instead of fucking—the day she told me she loved me.

I can see from the doorway that it's not the white lace ones; these are colorful. And folded into a tiny rectangle. I can't recall her ever wearing knickers like those, so I cross the room for a better inspection. It isn't undies at all. It's the decorative cloth pouch that houses Laurelyn's birth control pills. I slide the foil package out and confirm what I suspect. This is the pack she would've been taking when she left.

I sit on the bed, holding it in my hand. Does this mean she's going to be pregnant? It only took Em missing two days—not half a pack.

I go to the living room and grab my laptop before I dash back to the bedroom. I don't even know what to search. My fingers are trembling as I type what happens if you stop birth control midpack and hit enter. I choose the first result since it looks like a medical site. I scan the article reading a lot of things I don't understand, but then I come upon a heading called "Increased Chance of Pregnancy." That I can understand, so I read because I'm anxious to see what it says: There is a sudden increase in the risk of pregnancy when you stop the pill midmonth. The hormone levels change quickly by stopping the pill in the middle of the cycle, and this can increase your chances of conceiving. There may be some women who think they are protected for the whole month even if they stop early, but this is not true. You are only covered and protected while taking the pill on a regular, everyday basis.

Fuck! Does Laurelyn know this? Does she understand what missing these pills could mean? I have no way of knowing, and I can't ask her because she's not here.

Jim's been in the States looking for her for five days. He's phoned daily with updates but that's not enough now that I know she could be pregnant. I'm dying here; I need him to find her already.

I take my phone from my pocket and dial. "Mr. McLachlan…"

I don't have the patience to hear anything except that he knows where she is. "Did you find her yet?"

I already know he hasn't. He would've notified me immediately if he had; he has strict instructions to call the moment he has her whereabouts. "No, I'm sorry, Mr. McLachlan. There is no housing in Nashville registered under Addison Donavon, and the one I found this morning wasn't Laurelyn's friend."

"You're certain? She could be lying."

"The girl was still in high school and her mother wasn't happy about me being at their house asking about her daughter. There's been no new activity on any of Addison's social networking since she posted the day she left Australia. It's like she's dropped off the face of the earth."

One roadblock after another. We found out a few days ago that Laurelyn had dropped her service with her cellular provider, so our best lead was no lead at all. We don't know why she did it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Blake Phillips is the reason behind it. I keep imagining him chasing after Laurelyn now that she's returned to Nashville, and the thought makes me crazy. I'm back to that place where I want to choke the life out of him.

"So, what's your plan, Jim?" I really need him to tell me he has a new strategy since finding Addison has proven fruitless.

"I understand you wanted him to be a last resort, but I recommend going to see Blake Phillips. It seems like a waste to run all over California looking for Addison when I have him so close."

I'm going to be sick if she's with him. Maybe I wanted him to be a last resort because I'm paralyzed with fear every time I think about her being with him.

I want to see his reaction when Jim questions him about her. I need to read his face and response. "I want you to video your meeting and send it to me immediately."

Jim doesn't hesitate. "Absolutely, sir."

***

Wow. I'm driving home in a daze because I have a dad and he wants to ruin the man who threatened me. He said Blake Phillips wouldn't be able to find a job bagging groceries in this town when he's finished with him. The thought makes me happy, until I remember that he has three little kids depending on him. As much as I'd like to see Blake crawl on his belly like the snake that he is, I can't live with the guilt of being the reason behind any misfortune for those children. It's not their fault their dad is a total skeezer. Which is why I asked Jake to do nothing where Blake is concerned.

I park in my usual spot outside the apartment and sit staring at the door. I don't want to go inside. Being alone for the past couple of weeks hasn't been good for me. It's given me too much time to think about how much I miss Jack Henry.

I'm startled out of my trance when I hear Addison's ringtone. "Waddup," I cheerfully answer. I hope she can't tell how phony I am.

"Hey, girl. What are you doing?"

Addison's called to check on me every day—sometimes twice. She's been very attentive for…well, for Addison. I've never seen her so concerned. I think her feelings for Zac have given her empathy—something I'm not certain she was capable of in the past. "Umm, I just got home from my mom's."

"How'd that go?"

I hadn't had enough time to process Jake Beckett, so it wasn't something I was ready to discuss, especially over the phone. And Addison is going to have a come-apart when she finds out. "It was fine."

"What about your meeting with your record pro-doucher?"

I can't help but laugh every time I hear Addie call Blake a pro-doucher. The name is so fitting. "It went great. He was very cooperative—until he followed me out to my car and basically held me down while he threatened to ruin my career if I didn't come back to him."

I hear Addison huff. "Did that fucker hurt you?"

"Nah! You know I'm a tough bird. He scared me a little, but it's more likely that I'm the one who hurt him. I don't think he'll be needing a vasectomy any time soon. I can say with a fair amount of certainty that my knee probably busted his balls."

Addison cackles. "I'm really glad to hear you racked 'em good for him, but what does that mean for your career?"

I sigh deeply before I admit where I stand, as if it'll make it sound better. "It means I've lost it all—everything I've worked so hard for—and I'll have to start over. All because I refused to have an affair with a married man."

"But that's not fair!" she yells and almost bursts my eardrum. "You can't walk away with nothing. He should at least have the decency to give you back your songs."

She didn't see the fury on his face. "That's not going to happen, but it's okay. Really. He can hold my songs hostage if he wants. I still own half so he can't give them to anyone else. And I have new material that's way better than any of my old stuff."

"That's because all of them are about him."

I don't have to ask whom she's referring to. "They are, but they're honest and from my heart."

"Then they'll go platinum ten times because fans know when it's real. They'll get what he means to you. I just wish he would."

Me too.

"I have good news." Her words are cheerful but her voice lacks its usual pep. "At least I hope you think it's good. I'm coming home tomorrow. Cleve has an audition for me and says it's mandatory that I'm back on Thursday for it."

Thank goodness. I don't think I could go on being alone in the apartment. "I'm thrilled you're coming home, but you don't sound excited."

"The audition is with a band and I won't be lead vocalist." Not being lead could definitely be a problem for Miss Front and Center. "I'll have to share it with a dude."

"Those kinds of bands are doing really well in country right now. It's sounds like a great opportunity," I encourage. "Would I know them?"

"Southern Ophelia."

"Damn, Addie. They're hot right now. Like, really hot. I can't believe one of their vocalists walked away in the middle of all that success. That's crazy."

"Maybe, but it's not what I want because it's not my style. I just don't see me being happy with sharing the spotlight. You know I love being the center of attention. It sounds like a great gig, but the whole thing is so rushed. Heather quit last week and they're scheduled to cut an album next month, so it won't give us long to mesh. After that, we'd be hitting the road for six months to promote the album."

Addison was no spotlight sharer, but Cleve was right in thinking this was a good move for her. As such, it was my job to encourage her. "Addie, that sounds like exactly the opportunity you need to give your career a huge jumpstart. Cutting an album and going on the road—that's huge. And who knows? You could love singing with a guy."

"I'm gonna hate it. I just know it."

Always the pessimist. "There are worse things."

"I'm sorry, Laurie," she apologizes. "It's really insensitive of me to be whining to you after what happened with Blake."

Frankly, I'm a little shocked by her consideration. Her relationship with Zac seems to have changed her in a very positive way. "It's sucks but I'll be okay."

"I know, but I haven't been very considerate of your feelings. I've been a shitty friend and I'm sorry. I swear I'm gonna make it up to you."

I accept Addison the way she is and I don't expect her to make anything up to me. "You haven't been a shitty friend. You've called every day—sometimes twice—to make sure I'm okay."

"We both know I could do a lot better."

She wasn't the only one who could improve. "I'm the one who moved out on you to live with a man I barely knew."

"Because of what my brother did to you. And I took his side. I'm so sorry."

Agreed. She definitely should've supported me more on that. "It's okay. It all worked out for the best. Living with Ja…Lachlan for those two and a half months was the best experience of my life."

"How are we ever gonna get over those Aussie men?"

"I have no idea, Addie." And that is the honest-to-God truth. I don't know how I'll ever be able to give up the love of my life.